Harvard's women's volleyball team--now 9-4 on the season--made a surprising find Saturday at a tri-match in Providence. While defeating Boston College, 15-10, 10-15, 15-6, and edging Brown, 8-15, 16-14, 15-11, the Crimson spikers discoverd an able back-up to starting setter Margaret Cheng.

Freshman Kathy Yanelli filled in for Cheng, whose bout with the flu forced her to sit out four of Harvard's six games. Yanelli, who had been playing solely in the back court until Saturday's matches, began practicing as a setter just three days prior to her debut up front. Nonetheless, her ability and United States Volleyball League experience compensated for her newness to the college game.

"It didn't feel too strange," Yanelli said. "It felt kind of natural."

Deja Vu

Harvard's play against Boston College was reminiscent of the team's recent slump "We had spots of brilliance, but most of it [the game] was played at their energy level," Crimson coach Karyn Altman said.

Unlike in Harvard's season-opening loss to B.C., however, the Crimson kept control of the match, bouncing back from a 10-15 second-game loss to take the final impressively, 15-6.

"The B.C. game was won by our serving," Altman said. "I'm not quite sure how we won [the Brown match]."

Yanelli had tired considerably by the first Brown game. "After the first match it was 'I've got to sit down,'" she said. "I was shocked that Margaret could keep it up as much as she did."

Yanelli's exhaustion showed in her team's overall play as Harvard spotted Brown the first game, 8-15. Altman called on Cheng, and the flu-stricken junior responded, lifting the team to a narrow 16-14 second-game victory.

Midway through the final game, the Crimson spotted a weakness in Brown's defense. For the rest of the match Harvard took advantage of Brown's middle-blocker, mercilessly hitting the ball at her with a vigor not present at any other time in the tournament.

Cheng used her time on the bench to analyze Harvard's play. "It's easier to pick out mistakes when you're a spectator," she said. "We weren't as charged as we were in the match against B.U."

But Cheng saw many improvements in Harvard's play. "Our coverage is getting a little better," she noted. "We're generally getting more consistent."